Question
I run my auctions pretty much 100% off of relists combined with sell a similar item. for instance: if I have 3 different 3lb lego sets (and I did), I'll find something that sold in the last month that weighed 3 lb. and relist the 1st set using that auction; changing the title, description, and usually the catagory. then I'll list the other 2 sets using the "sell similar" link.
Under the old policy all 3 would be eligible for a free relist if not sold; under the new policy the first auction, since it is not the first relist, will not be eligible.
This is, by the way, an actual example and not theoretical (bad week for LEGO sets)
A more traditional example, for relisting auctions where I have multiples of the same items.
This Transformer lot sold back in January
I found a few more and relisted this transormer lot from that auction earlier this month.
It did not sell and when I tried to relist it found that it did not qualify for a free relisting, which it should have.
This is going to cost folks who sell new stuff more than the antique people, but I think it will generate quite a bit of extra income for eBay. I am wondering if this is a unforseen glitch or a deliberate policy.
Answer
if it is costing you more in listing fees then it is deliberate
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One should not relist via a sold item. I think this has been around a long time. You just need to launch new ones again. It does create more work. I guess eBay figures some sellers will be lazy and just take a chance relisting from a sold item page will not cost them anything extra.
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Well yes, now you shouldn't work from sold items. I've been doing the relisting thing since 1999, and I would prefer not to change, but I will.
Relisting is pretty basic for anyone who has more than one of a particular item. I listed about a dozen GI Joe Army Rangers last year using relists. About one in three times it wouldn't sell, I always got a relist credit when it sold the next time. But now unless I start a totally new auction every time one sells, my unsold GI Joe Rangers will not qualify for another relist credit. I would imagine most folks won't even notice this little unanounced in-through-the-back-door fee increase.
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Sorry, I re-read your original post several times, but I don't know understand what your issue with the relist policy is. Did the policy change recently? I don't see anything about it in the eBay Community General Announcements.
I relist Unsold items all the time and have not heard of any policy changes surround this?
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I went to live help on ebay, and they are down for maintance to the site.
I then went to Relisting help in questions and answers and don't see any changes either.
Maybe honestjohntoys could let us know were he found out this information from or was it written down somewere we could also read about it.
If this is true it will effect all sellers on ebay, since no one I know sells everything the first time it is listed.
Happy Trail't to You, Until we met again !
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Anne and Tek, the relist policy itself has not changed. You'll still get credit for the listing fee if it sells the second time.
What has changed is how John must handle new listings in order to receive the relist credit.
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I'm thoroughly confused... but that's okay. I haven't used eBay's Sell Your Item page directly for at least four years now.
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To put it in it's simplest form:
Suppose I have two identical Barbie Dolls.
I list the first one, it sells
I relist the second doll from the first auction, it does not sell
this is the new part
If I relist the second doll again, it does not qualify for a relisting credit if it does sell because it is the second relisting of the original auction.
Essentially, unless ebay fixes this, if you want to sell duplicate items and still have them qualify for a relist credit, you have to list an entirely new auction every time an item sells. No more relisting a string of identical Barbies.
I currently have at least six auctions that should qualify for credits but don't under the new policy. If I list and sell them all, that is $2.10 more for eBay
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This along with the ebay listing system would be motivation for me to use some form of auction management system.
That pretty much sucks Honestjohn.